Stitch regulating mechanism



E. s1". PHERRE AL STITCH-REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 22,, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 @Q&., 3 19% E. 5T. PIERRE m AL fi fi STITCH-REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 22, 1947 n I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ct 3, w E. 51'. PIERRE H L.

STITCH-REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 22, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 3 1950 S'EHJSH REGULATING MECHANISM Eugene St. Pierre, Pawtucket, and Joseph Wa'wzonek, Central Falls, R. L, assignors to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. L, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 22, 1947, Serial No. 787,520

(01. GEE- 54) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful im provement in mechanisms for obtaining the different lengths of stitches required for the several parts of a stocking and to a mechanism for fashioning the leg. As hereinafter shown and described, the invention is applied to a circular, independent needle, knitting machine of the Banner type. It can also be used on other machines of the same general character and those in which the cams rotate about the needle cylinder. Nor is it limited to hosiery machines.

The making of various parts of a stocking such as the top, leg, high splice, heel, sole, toe, etc, generally require several diiferent yarns used at Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the fashion bracket and its operating connections to the cam block supports; and Figs. 4 and 5 are details of parts of the fashion bracket shown in the previous figures to illustrate the manner in which it operates and Fig. 6 is a detail of other parts.

As already stated, the device shown in the drawing is of a type suitable for application to a hosiery knitting machine of the Banner type. Also, 'as already stated, its objectives are to a considerable degree similar to those of the device of Patent #2,369,'780 and its general position upon the machine may be similar to that of the difierent times. These changes of yarns and 35 device of that patent. other considerations involve changes in the i AS shown i Fig 3, th hi i provided le h f h i ches r l ops. Th i to ay, in with the usual cam plates I and 2 upon which the the till) the 100pS are of one length, in the main and auxiliary cam blocks, respectively are t ey are of another and so on throug out the mounted. Plate 2 in the form shown may also ki Th p ri i changes of p ength support a second auxiliary cam block if the Ina-- f r h v ri par r obtained y raisin or chine is arranged for two feed knitting at the lowering the cam block'or blocks upon which the auxiliary i knitting Cams are mounted so that the height of Cam plate I is attached to a vertically slida'ole the needle hooks in relation to the drawing surrod 3, the lower end f which rests upon a face of h Sinkers m y be V point 4 on the lever 5 pivoted at 6 and extending In a d to e periodic alt of loop to a point 1 above the adjustable screw 8 which length characteristic of the different parts of the is threaded into a lug 9 of a 1 1 1; g by which it stocking, it is sometimes desirable to vary the loop is supported length within one or more of these parts, partic- L Cam block plate 2 (Fig 3) Slides upon a guide ularly the leg, to shape or fashion it to a suitable i and its lower end bears upon and is supported outline. A device for carrying out these obJects a mid point '2 f a lever 13 which is pivoted. in relation to the main cam block forms the subat M and t d t a int l5 overlying an ad- J'ect matter of Patent 2,135,135- justable screw l5 (Fig. l) by which it is sup- A device in which these objects are gained in t s 5 threaded t an arm n t, relation to both main and auxiliary cam blocks tached to a block is disclosed and claimed in Patent No. 2,369,780. Blocks 3 and 13 are independently Shdable The Object of Present invention is to carry upon a slide 89 supported upon a suitable part of forward and perfect more highly the device of the machine by a bracket 20. Therefore, it will the general type of the latter patent so that stitch be evident t t by causing mocks m and g3 t length adjustments and fashioning at either the 40 move up down m t i and g ti l 111 main or auxiliary cam block can be accomplished be similarly moved t alter th heights of t mor a o y y- There is further main and auxiliarycam blocks, respectively, in vided by this invention means whereby the adl ti t th i k ,iustment of both cam blocks is efiected simulta- By Operatively cgnnecting th cam plates l d neously by a master controlling means without g to mid points ,3 and 2 of levers 5 and g3 d s urb e normal arrangement Of Stitch s'pectively, the distance through which each plate length a jus g means individual to the respBC- and its associated cam block is moved is much tive cam blocks. less than the movement of the controlling blocks The form of the invention Selected for de cr p- El or IR. Therefore, the movements of the blocks tion herein is shown in the drawings of which: 60 can be conveniently large, relatively speaking, Fig. l is a front elevation of that part of a and minor inaccuracies in the operating parts stitch regulating mechanism which will hereinsuch as are necessarily permitted in commercial after be referred to as a fashion bracket; manufacture or in the adjustment of such parts Fig. 2 is a side elevation of essentially the same will be reflecting the movements of the cam part; blocks only to a negligible degree.

The mid-points referred to are not necessarily midway between the ends of levers 5 and I3. They may be at any desired points between these ends such as the positions shown in Fig. 3. Preferably, these points 4 and I2 are equidistant from the lever pivots 6 and I4, respectively, and also equidistant from screws 8 and I6, respectively, so that equal and similar movements of levers 5 and I3 will produce equal and similar movements of the cam block plates I and '2 although of less magnitude.

Block I has a projection 2| through which are threaded a set 22 of screws. Block I8 has a simi lar projection 23 through which are threaded a set 24 of screws. Upon block l8 are mounted a series of slides shown in Fig. 1 as twelve in number held equally spaced apart by suitable guides so as to be vertically movable. The spacing of the slides is such that each is in alignment with a difierent one of the screws of each set 22 and 24 on bocks I0 and i8, respectively. Each of these slides is urged upward by a plunger 26 backed by a spring 21 mounted in a recess 28 of block l8 so that each is resiliently held against a corresponding screw of sets 22 or 24 depending upon the settings of these screws. Therefore, there is a continuous chain of mechanical connections between the cam blocks and the slides.

Beneath the lower ends of all but one slide, eleven in Fig. 1, is a drum 29 provided with cams such as 30 all of which are of the same height spaced around and across it and so arranged that at all times there will be a cam under one of the slides associated with the main cam block and so that there will be a cam under one of the slides associated with the auxiliary cam block at all times except one, as will be explained later.

The slide associated with a cam block will change whenever that block is to be repositioned and for each change required a cam must be positioned beneath the changed slide. The cams supply a laterally shifting base of fixed elevation so that the heights of the respective cam blocks are determined by screws 22 and 24.

As shown in Fig. 1, there is a fashioning disc 3| alongside drum 29 which is adapted to engage with the 12th or right slide 32 of the group. Drum 29 is turned intermittently by the well known pattern drum operating mechanism controlled from the pattern chain of the machine. The fashioning disc 3| is operated at times by its own pawl 33 through ratchet 34 (Fig. 1) and at other times by pattern drum 29. The general arrangement of the pattern drum and fashioning disc and their operating mechanism are similar to those shown in Patent No. 2,369,780 and are too well known to require further description here.

The slide 32 operates with both main and auxiliary cam blocks to establish their height. Therefore, while the'fashion disc 3| is in action, no cams 30 are beneath their respective slides or, if beneath, are not operative.

For the stitch length adjustments of the major parts of the stocking two slides such as those shown in Figs. 4 and may be used. These are numbered 35 and 36 to identify them from the others. Slide 35, as already explained, is urged upwardly by plunger 26 and spring 21 against the corresponding screw 31 of set 22 in projection 2| of block W. Similarly, slide 36 is in contact with screw 38. Screws 39 and 40 are backed off sufiiciently to be inoperative. Therefore, when drum 29 is turned to bring two of the cams 30 under slides 35 and 36, the main cam block will be positioned at the height determined by the adjustment of screw 31 and the auxiliary cam block will be positioned at the height determined by screw 38. When a cam 30 passes from under slide 35 or 36, this slide although it still maintains contact with screw 31 or 38 no longer functions as a part of the supporting means for its cam block. This function has been assumed by others of the slides under which cams have become positioned and the heights of the cam blocks have been determined by screws corre sponding to these substituted slides.

A single slide, such as 35, can also be used to determine the adjustments or positions of both main and auxiliary cam blocks simply by adjusting screws 31 and 39 as desired and so that they both will contact slide 35 when it is upon a cam 33. However, any change of this sort will destroy its previous adjustment.

There are times when it is desirable that the height of both cam blocks be controlled from a single source so that they can be moved in unison and to the same degree without disturbing their relative adjustments. For example, in three feed knitting at both the main and auxiliary cam blocks, particularly of sheer fabric in which equality of loop length is of vital importance, it is essential that all of the knitting cams shall have exactly the same heights in relation to the sinkers and shall maintain these same relative heights even though the actual heights are varied periodically throughout the knitting of certain parts of a stocking. To this end, master controls are included in this invention whereby both cam block supports can be adjusted, as above described, through the operation of a single support. At least some of the slides shown in Figs. 4 and 5 will not be available for this purpose, if the individual adjustments of the two cam blocks are to be preserved.

A suitable form is shown in Fig. 6. This consists of a slide 32 having an end 4| cooperating with one of the earns 30 in the manner previously described with respect to slides 35 and 36. Above this is a second slide 42 having an offset end 43 through which a screw 44 is threaded so as to be engageable with slide 32. Support 42 also has a projection 45 underlying screw 46 of set 24 in block l8 and the upper end 41 of slide 42 underlies screw 48 of set 22 in block Ill. Since blocks l9 and I8 are operatively connected to the main and auxiliary cam blocks, it will be evident that when a cam 33 underlies a slide 32 the device described will determine the actual positions of both cam blocks through the screw 44 without altering their relative positions.

The height of each cam block can be set manually at any time through screws 46 and 48 to correct any deviation from the desired relative condition and a common change in the setting of both blocks can be made at any time by means of screw 44 without disturbing the relative settings of the individual blocks.

For example, in multi-feed knitting, it is essential that all of the loops knitted at all of the blocks be of the same length. The setting of the main and auxiliary blocks can be obtained by adjusting the screws 46 and 48 which control the heights of the individual blocks. If it happens that the loops knit at all blocks are of equal length but too long or too short, this can be remedied by means of screw 44 without disturbing the adjustments just mentioned. In Fig. l, five of these devices are shown interspersed among the individual slides previously described.

The number and arrangement of all of these controls can be varied as desired.

The type of device shown in Fig. 6 is well adapted to control both cam blocks simultaneously during the shaping of the leg by means of the fashioning disc 3|. As shown in Fig. 2, while the fashioning disc 3! is in action, there are no cams 30 under any of the other slides so that the fashioning disc controls all of the cam blocks. For all practical purposes, it is simply another cam 30 having a progressively increasing height instead of a single height.

We claim:

1. In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine having vertically movable main and auxiliary knitting cam supports, stitch regulating mechanism which includes means associated with each cam block support for determining its operating height, a support beneath said means and held resiliently in contact therewith and means positionable beneath said last mentioned support for fixing its position.

2. For a circular, independent needle, knitting machine having vertically movable main and auxiliary cam plates, a stitch regulating mecha- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,135,185 Lawson et al Nov. 1, 1938 2,369,780 Fregeolle Feb. 20, 1945 2,411,255

Fregeol le .Nov. 19, 1946 

